9. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Conor D. McGuinness den Aire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán cad atá á dhéanamh chun dul i ngleic leis an ngéarchéim thithíochta sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. [10111/25]
Sentiment score: 0.00
Tá ceist curtha síos agam mar gheall ar an ngéarchéim tithíochta sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. Ar ndóigh, tá an ghéarchéim tithíochta fud fad an Stáit ag cur an-chuid daoine, go háirithe clanna óga, i gcruachás ach is bagairt eiseach nó existential threat í dár bpobail sna ceantair Ghaeltacht. Cad atá á dhéanamh ag an Rialtas? Cathain a bheidh toradh ar an méid sin?
Sentiment score: -0.28
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as an bhfreagra sin ach ní inniu ná inné a thit an ghéarchéim seo amach. Táimid ag feitheamh le freagra agus le gníomh ón Rialtas agus ón Rialtas a bhí ann cheana féin. Is athrá ar na geallúintí a bhí sa chlár Rialtais deireanach atá sa chlár Rialtais reatha. Tuigimid go bhfuil na treoirlínte pleanála Gaeltachta seo dréachtaithe. Tá siad i scríbhinn ach níl siad feicthe ag aon duine. Níl siad feicthe ar an taobh seo den Teach. Ní fheadar an bhfuil siad feicthe ag cúlbhinseoirí an Aire féin. Níl siad feicthe ag muintir na Gaeltachta. Tá siad ag súil go mór leis seo. Táimid ag iarraidh go mbeadh cumhachtaí leithne agus acmhainní breise curtha ar fáil don Roinn agus d'Údarás na Gaeltachta ionas gur féidir leo dul i ngleic leis an ngéarchéim seo. Nílimid ag iarraidh na treoirlínte pleanála amháin ach beart de réir briathair i dtaobh soláthar tithíocht inacmhainne agus sóisialta.
Sentiment score: -0.05
An bhfuil an tAire ag rá go bhfuil an srian agus an bac ar fhoilsiú na dtreoirlínte pleanála Gaeltachta bainteach leis an Roinn tithíochta agus nach bhfuil sé ag teacht ó Roinn na Gaeltachta? Is nuacht é sin domsa. Mar dhuine atá ag maireachtáil sa Ghaeltacht agus a bhfuil clann á thógáil aige i nGaeltacht na nDéise, feicim mo chomharsana, mo chomhghleacaithe agus mo chairde síos leis an ngéarchéim seo. Ní féidir leo maireachtáil, clann a thosú nó a bheith ina gcónaí ina bpobal féin. Tá sé sin ag cur todhchaí na Gaeltachta i mbaol. Tá beart de réir briathair ag teastáil anois. Foilsigh na treoirlínte seo agus cur ar fáil láithreach na hacmhainní agus cumhachtaí breise atá ag teastáil ón údarás chun gur féidir leis dul i ngleic leis seo.
Sentiment score: -0.16
71. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health her views on the worry and deep frustration of families and individuals in County Waterford and across rural Ireland about the shortage of GPs and the consequent difficulties being experienced by many patients accessing timely GP care, especially in rural communities. [10113/25]
Sentiment score: -0.24
What are the Minister's views on the worry and deep frustration of families and individuals in County Waterford, and rural Ireland more generally, about the shortage of GPs, and the consequent difficulties experienced by many patients in accessing timely GP care, the distance they have to travel to access it, the delays in accessing it and the impact on their health and well-being?
Sentiment score: -0.72
These measures are not being felt in the communities I represent in towns and villages from Tallow to Dunmore East, Portlaw, Dungarvan, Lismore, Cappoquin and Kilmacthomas. Capacity is not keeping pace with demand for GP services. Retirement, as I know the Minister is aware, creates difficulties and has created particular difficulties in west Waterford for people accessing GP services. The Irish College of General Practitioners said late last year that 25% of GPs currently working are aged 60 or over, so this problem will only get worse. There are significant barriers to young GPs entering practice, particularly in rural Ireland. They need to be faced down. I put a parliamentary question to the Minister a number of weeks ago. The hands-off approach of the Department to, in particular, guaranteeing GP services to non-medical card holders, leaves an awful lot to be desired in rural communities including in my county, Waterford.
Sentiment score: -0.11
To pick up on what my colleague, Deputy Cullinane, said about Cappoquin, this is a case in point. We are trying to get GPs into rural communities. This GP practice is seeking to become a training centre for GPs. Because of the delays with this, it is unable to do that. That is creating downstream issues. Dungarvan lost a GP to retirement a number of years ago. I, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and others worked very hard to get appropriate care for many of that GP's patients. Many of them have been forced to travel significant distances, including people who are ill, older or infirm. We need to grapple with that. How can we ensure there are GPs not just in our small towns and villages but also in larger towns so people can access GP care where they live? Key to that will be elements of Deputy Cullinane's landmark policy proposal published last year. Directly employing GPs within the health service is an important aspect.
Sentiment score: 0.07